Ostensibly, the trailer shows our three main contenders for ruler of Westeros marching towards their respective seats.

We see Cersei Lanniser (Lena Headey) walking through the Red Keep, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) in a new setting (more on that later) and Jon Snow (Kit Harington) in what appears to the Great Hall in Winterfell. Oh, and just for good measure we get a glimpse of the Night King.

Check it out, below:

OK, now we’re all on the same page, it’s time to switch into Analysis Mode and go through some key details.

The music

The trailer features the rather jarring music choice of ‘Sit Down’ by British rock band James.

Aside from the title, which is a clear reference to, um, sitting, Mashablelooked at the lyrics and found they are quite “Thronesy”. And at least one Twitter user claims that the song is a “Northern wedding party song” (and we all know about the importance of weddings in GoT lore).

im HOWLING at the game of thrones trailer usin sit down by james its an absolute bevvied northern wedding party song

It’s also not the first time that a modern song has been used in a Thrones trailer. Trailers for Seasons Five and Six used covers of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ and Chris Isaak’s ‘Wicked Game’ respectively.

People still seem divided on the choice of the James track, and if I had my way I probably would have gone with this:

Daenerys’ outfit

Eagle-eyed fans have been quick to point out that Daenrys is wearing a black gown with a red dragon-scaled cape, making this the first time we have seen her in the colors of her family’s sigil. Does this mean she’s fully embracing Targaryenness? Could she be also doomed like her father, The Mad King? Time will tell. For more on how Daenerys’ fashion has evolved you can check out this obsessive guide.

Daenerys’ new digs

When we last saw Daenerys in Season Six, she was with her army and dragons making their voyage across the Narrow Sea toward Westeros. In the trailer it looks like she is sitting upon the throne at Dragonstone. If this is true it means that a) they made it successfully and b) she is now located on a fortified island, sitting in the Targaryen ancestral seat. That’s pretty great news for Team Daenerys.

Cersei’s feeling a little chilly

Just near the end of the trailer we see Cersei exhale some breath, indicating that things are getting a little chilly in Kings Landing. As we know, Winter Has Finally Come so it makes sense that Cersei is feeling the cold. However, some are speculating that this breath may hint at a possible future alliance between Cersei and the Night King, especially since his eye is the next thing we see. Although the Night King doesn’t look like the kind of guy you can bargain with, one thing we have learned is that you can never underestimate this lady.

A Song of Ice and Fire

Finally, through the presence of candles and the Night King, the trailer reminds us of the importance of ice and fire throughout the saga. GoT nerds have long maintained that Ice is Jon Snow and Fire is Daenerys, and that they share a share a family connection. Jon’s father is rumoured to be Raegar Targaryen, who is Daenerys’ brother. This fact was all but confirmed in Season Five, but as of now it is unclear what this will mean for their relationship. Will they team up and rule together? Will they defeat Cersei and then battle it out? Is some aunt-nephew incest on the cards?

We only have to wait two more seasons to find out.

About the author

Stefan is an Adelaide-based freelance writer. In his spare time, he plays tennis badly, collects vinyl and brushes up on his Mandarin. Follow Stefan on Twitter